The 40 Most Expensive Things on the Planet

If you've got champagne taste and a decidedly beer budget, you've probably dreamed of living life like the one percent. And while, short of winning the lottery, you might never own a mansion or get behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Phantom, it's fun nonetheless to consider what the billionaires of the world spend their big bucks on. Herein, we've rounded up some of the most expensive things on the planet—so keep your fingers crossed for that windfall.

If you happen to get your hands on a bottle of DRC's Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, make sure not to waste it on any old wine Wednesday. Depending on its vintage, a bottle of Grand Cru can fetch as much as $39,700 (like it did at a November 2013 auction in Hong Kong), making it one of the most expensive wines in the world. Want to procure some of this rare wine for yourself? Currently, you can secure a 2009 bottle on Finding Wine for a cool $19,640, or a 2011 version via Woods Wholesale Wine for $16,375.

Have you ever wondered what hundreds of millions of dollars can get you in the Los Angeles real estate market? Well, the answer is an 11-bedroom, 18-bathroom house situated on 11 acres of land with 40 garage spaces, a 75-foot pool, a tennis court, 5-bedroom guesthouse, and a 12,000-bottle wine cellar. The 1930s Chartwell estate, which was featured in the credits of The Beverly Hillbillies, is currently listed for $245 million, making it the most expensive home for sale—both now and historically—in the United States.

Located on the shoreline of Lake Geneva in Switzerland is Hotel President Wilson, home to the world's most expensive hotel suite, aptly dubbed The Royal Penthouse. For $80,000 a night, you can live in the lap of luxury with 12 bedrooms, 12 marble bathrooms, a Steinway grand piano, a jacuzzi and sauna, a fitness room, and a private elevator—just to name a few of the suite's luxe offerings.

"Like a life-giving light of the sun [the] Fazioli Gold Grand Piano will illuminate your home with the gift of wonder." That's how Euro Pianos describes the Fazioli 24K Gold Leaf Luxury Piano, one of the most expensive pianos—and overall instruments—in the world. As its name suggests, the piano is covered from head to toe—or from lid to wheel, rather—in 24-karat gold. It's available to anyone with a spare half million dollars (and change).ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

You could fill your home with a flood of Christian Louboutins, but you still wouldn't come close reaching the price of these diamond-encrusted golden heels. Each stiletto is lined with 118 smaller diamonds and finished with a 15-carat D-flawless diamond, so it's little surprise the one-of-a-kind pair is on sale for $17 million.

From April 1 to June 30, visitors to the Oak Door Steakhouse at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo can experience one of the world's most expensive hamburgers. Composed of a 2.2-pound beef patty, Wagyu beef slices, foie gras, black truffle shavings, and a gold-dusted bun, this monstrous meal—aptly named the Golden Giant Burger—costs just under $1,000. Each purchase comes with a magnum-sized bottle of your choice of Champagne or wine.

Step aside Montblanc: There's an even pricier writing instrument vendor in town, and their name is Graf von Faber-Castell. With a diamond-and-white-gold instrument available for $10,000, Graf von Faber-Castell has earned the great distinction of making the world's most expensive pencil.

If you think Apple AirPods are the ne plus ultra of haute headphones, then you haven't met the Sennheiser HE 1s. Development of these $59,000 electrostatic headphones took nearly a decade. Sennheiser says they deliver users "an ultra-high impulse fidelity 200 percent more efficient than any other solution currently available." When one writer from Gizmodo listened to his favorite song on the headphones, he noted that he was "subconsciously trying not to move thinking that [he] might disturb the perfection of the sound."

Not only can you feel like a million bucks, you can smell like it too, thanks to Clive Christian's No.1 Imperial Majesty perfume. At $205,000 for 500mL, this limited edition essence is easily one of the most expensive things on the planet. It's not hard to see where this parfum gets its price tag from: The product itself is absolute oil, and the nest polished crystal that houses it has an 18-karat-gold collar with a five-carat white diamond in the center.

Have you ever dreamed of owning your own island? Well, what about the most expensive island in the world? In February 2019, Fox Business reported that Al Marjan Island—a 660-acre collection of four manmade islands near the United Arab Emirates—went on sale for a staggering $462 million. Included in the property listing are five-star hotels, private beaches, and retail facilities—all with zero personal and income taxes. To say that owning this island is a unique opportunity would be an understatement.

That $5 bottled water at the movie theater sounds cheap in comparison to this $10,000 one from Beverly Hills 90H20. While the quality of the water surely contributes to the price, what really gives this drink its five-figure price tag is the bottle it's housed in. The brainchild of jewelry designer Mario Padilla, it features a white gold cap set with more than 600 white diamonds and more than 250 black diamonds, altogether totaling 14 carats. Each $10,000 bottle also comes with four engraved Baccarat crystal tumblers and a one-year supply of Beverly Hills 90H20's Lifestyle Collection water.

The next time you want to celebrate a big achievement—and we mean really celebrate—head to Serendipity 3 in New York City. The restaurant is home to the world's most expensive sundae. At $1,000, the Golden Opulence Sundae is "three scoops of the richest Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream infused with Madagascar vanilla beans, covered in 23K edible gold leaf, drizzled with the world's most expensive chocolate, Amedei Porcelana, and covered with chunks of rare Chuao chocolate." Don't expect to see this sundae on the menu, though; according to Serendipity, the decadent dish is "by appointment only."

Birkin bags are, by any definition of the word, expensive. And yet, even they seem affordable in comparison to the Louis Vuitton City Steamer Crocodile bag. Made of authentic crocodilian leather, this LV signature bag sells for a casual $55,500, making it one of the world's most expensive totes.

Every year, jeweler Harry Winston puts out a new design as part of the brand's limited Opus watch series. In 2015, the iconic jeweler released the Opus 14, a patriotic-looking timepiece inspired by the 1950s. There are only 50 of these white gold watches in existence—and if you want to get your hands on one, you'll need to save up some $600,000.

It doesn't seem fiscally sound to spend more on a bike than on a car. And yet, there are millionaires and billionaires out there who are willing to spend upwards of $250,000 on this Goldgenie racing bike. The bike's hardware isn't anything out of the ordinary, however; what makes it so special is the fact that it's covered entirely in 24-karat gold.

Luxuriator by Franco shades are the preferred sun protection of celebrities like Elton John and Oprah Winfrey. Though all of the designer's products are expensive, none compare to his Canary Diamond Glasses, which are encrusted with high-quality diamonds and retail for a cool $65,000.

Renting a Bugatti Veyron is as expensive as buying any other reasonably-priced car. As Bugatti CEO Houston Crosta told CNBC Make It, taking a Bugatti Veyron out for the day costs anywhere from $20,000 to $25,000. For that same amount of money, you could buy a brand new 2019 Hyundai Elantra.

We might not have the technology yet to live in outer space, but you can feast your eyes on the next-best thing: the PlaneWave Instruments CDK700 Telescope System. At over $200,000, it truly provides the best—and costliest—earthside view of space that money can buy.

According to Tastemade, the 1996 Dom Perignon Rose Gold Champagne is one of the most expensive bottles of bubbly out there. Only 35 bottles of this gold-plated Champagne were ever produced, and the rosé is resold today for more than $50,000.

At $1.6 million, the appropriately-named Zeus is the largest television on the market. The Titan Screens TV measures 26 feet by 16 feet, meaning even some mega-mansions would have a hard time finding adequate wall space for this behemoth piece of equipment. If you don't have a room big enough to house this gigantic piece of technology, however, fear not: The company also sells an outdoor version of this gargantuan for a similar price.

It might sound like an oxymoron, but there is such a thing as an extravagant mobile home—and it's got a price tag that could buy you a luxury apartment or sizable house in most locales. At $3 million, this palace on wheels comes equipped with luxuries like a master bedroom, a rain shower, a wine cabinet, and wireless service.

Meet the world's most expensive cell phone. This Android-operated device is embellished with 320 diamonds, stainless steel parts, and exotic alligator leather, bringing its price tag to just under $120,000. The bright side? Since the phone has a built-in case, you won't have to worry about spending any money on accessories on top of your original $119,000 investment.

When people budget for their annual Thanksgiving day feast, they probably don't think to set aside $150,000—but that's what Old Homestead Steakhouse charges for their holiday catering.

The dinner, which feeds 12 people, comes with dishes like a free-range, organic turkey covered in gold flakes; truffle-infused bread and pork stuffing; whipped potatoes made using $325-a-pound white cheddar; and cranberry sauce concocted with a $1,750 bottle of wine. And while it's hard to imagine, the food isn't even the best part of the experience. Included in the $150,000 catering is a Maserati Levante, the keys for which are hidden inside the stuffing. (No, we're not joking.)

Set sail for 140 days and visit all seven continents on Silversea's World Cruise 2020. During the course of your trip, you'll hit 62 ports spanning 32 countries, all while enjoying the luxuries that the ship itself has to offer, like a spa, fine dining, and a casino. Spots on the cruise start at $96,000 a head—but if you want to treat yourself to a suite, then you can expect to spend closer to $200,000 per person.

Hot tubs are always something of a luxurious purchase. However, few come close to providing the amenities that the double-decker Luxema 8000 does. It has a built-in television, a bar, pop-up speakers, and room for at least a dozen people. With all that this jacuzzi offers, it's easy to see why it's the most expensive one on the market.

You might not want to actually use this Baccarat crystal chess board should you ever decide to purchase it. Why? Well, at $13,500, it's easily one of the most expensive game boards that money can buy. Plus, each set is hand-cut and numbered, so if you lose or break a piece, you're out of luck.

Golf is, by no means, a cheap hobby. However, even Tiger Woods doesn't regularly shell out $14,000 on a golf bag. No, that high of a price tag is reserved for this Italian calfskin leather golf bag, one of the most expensive golf bags in the world. Excessive? Maybe. Luxurious? Definitely.

Most decent sets of golf clubs don't cost much more than a few hundred dollars. That's why it's shocking that this Honma Beres sand wedge—yes, a single golf club—costs a staggering $4,300. Naturally, this wedge for the wealthy is made using materials like 24-karat gold and Pt1000 platinum, and each order is handcrafted in Japan. Oh, and according to the PGA's website, ordering an entire 13-club set from this 5-Star Series line would cost around $70,000, so start saving now if you want to hit the green with this gold in tow.

Featured in the same collection as the $13,500 chess set, the Zénith Chandelier is one of the most expensive light fixtures on the market. Depending on the size of your home, you can customize your chandelier to have anywhere from eight lights to 84, and the fixture can weigh as much as 800 pounds. People with especially opulent taste tend to opt for the $491,700 84-light Zênith Chandelier Charleston, characterized by an added Crystal Champagne color created by the union of gold and crystal.

Want to make your Bentley Bentayga even more bougie? Just opt for one of the company's cars outfitted with custom Breitling timepieces. According to the car company's website, it's "the embodiment of luxury, performance, and accuracy"—and at $167,000, it has the price tag to prove it.

While you can purchase a wide variety of Bluetooth speakers at your average big box retailer for under $50, if you want to own the most expensive bluetooth speaker in the world, you'll need a $3,500 budget. For this price, you'll receive a thin white speaker with gold leaf gills and a titanium tweeter that has a 4500-watt peak.

Some sweets are meant to be devoured in one sitting. Others, like this Ecuadorian chocolate from To'ak, deserve to be savored. At $260 for an average bar, with some priced as high as $375, you'll want to take your time with this treat. So, what's behind this chocolate's exorbitant price tag? Well, the creators of this über-expensive chocolate take a page out of winemakers' books and age their bars in barrels for an infusion of flavor. Not to mention that the chocolate itself is derived from Nacional cacao, an uncommon variety that was thought to have died out until recently. In case you're questioning whether this tasty treat is worth its price tag, one Los Angeles Times writer described just a single taste of To'ak chocolate as making her "spoiled for life."

This popcorn might not actually cost one billion dollars, but when you compare its price to your average kernels, it sure feels like it. For a one-gallon tin of this sugary treat, you'll have to shell out a hefty $250! But why? According to Berco's website, it's crafted with some of the world's finest ingredients, including butter from Vermont Creamery, Nielson Massey bourbon vanilla, salt from the Danish island Laeso, and 23-karat edible gold flakes.

What makes Kopi Luwak Direct coffee special enough to justify paying $75 for just 3.5 oz.? Well, oddly enough, what makes these extravagant beans so coveted is the fact that, before they are roasted and served, they are first eaten and defecated by a small mammal called an Asian palm civet. During the digestion and defecation process, the beans get fermented, giving them their signature taste. Enjoy!

At $803 per pound, Panama's Elida Geisha Natural coffee is the world's most expensive bean. If you want to taste the fruity brew for yourself, then you'll have to make your way to Klatch Coffee Roasters in San Francisco, where cups of the coffee are sold for a whopping $75. The only caveat? The store only has 10 pounds of the exclusive coffee available, so time is of the essence if you want to try it. Alternatively, you can also snag 18 grams of the coffee on the store's site for the same price.

Way back when, yellow tea was exclusively served to Chinese emperors. Today, the beverage is considered to be the rarest (and thus, the most expensive) tea in the world, due in part to the fact that each bud is covered in 24-karat gold. At TWG Tea, 50 grams of the luxurious tea costs a crazy $529—so if you want to live like an emperor, get ready to pay the big bucks.

Old Homestead Steakhouse in New York is home to one of the world's most expensive slabs of Wagyu beef. The restaurant's 12-oz. Kobe steak costs a staggering $350, and it isn't the only absurdly expensive dish they serve, either. Other restaurant staples include a 20-oz. Kobe burger for $42 (once $81) and a lavish lobster roll.

Is looking young worth $1,800 per ounce? Yes—if you ask the scientists behind JK7 Skincare's Rejuvenating Serum-Lotion, that is. The company currently sells the most expensive anti-aging serum in the world, which they claim can "stop the degenerative processes of the body." The serum is comprised of some 70-plus ingredients, which JK7 founder Jurgen Klein spent a decade testing to get the formula just right.

For $300, what you're getting with this Givenchy purchase isn't so much a lipstick as status symbol packaging for your preferred lip color. Sure, each tube of Givenchy Le Rouge Crocodile Leather Lipstick comes with Givenchy's signature Carmin Escarpin shade, but what's prompting that tube's inflated price is the numbered crocodile skin case that houses this prestige beauty product.

Platinum isn't just reserved for jewelry—you can also use it to keep your skin looking young. The only caveat? It's expensive. However, if you're willing to invest some $1,200 into your skincare routine, then you can add La Prairie's Platinum Cellular Cream to your collection. Evidently, the infusion of platinum into the product "ensure(s) ageless performance, protects the skin's DNA, and replenishes moisture continuously for a look of soft splendor." And if you want to afford any of the items on this list, get inspired by the 20 Craziest Ways People Have Made $1 Million.

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